Baked Fish In Spicy Masala

 1 Whole Fish – clean and debone
1tsp Haldi
½ tsp salt
2 tsp lime juice

For Masala:

Oil - 2 tbsp
Onion - 1 Big Onion finely chopped
Ginger garlic paste- 1tbsp
Tomato - 2 chopped finely
Green Chillies - 2 chopped finely
Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp
Zeera Powder - 1 tsp
Dhaniya Powder - 1 tbsp
Garam Masala Powder- 1tsp
Salt to taste
Pudina and Dhaniya leaves 4 tbsp, finely chopped

Preparation:
Pre heat the oven to 250 Degree C

1. Clean, debone and slash the fish.
2. In a bowl add salt haldi and lime. Mix properly and apply it to the fish, in and out and set it aside for a while.
3. Heat oil in a pan, then add onions, and cook till it turns golden. Add ginger garlic paste and chillies and cook till the raw smell of ginger garlic paste is gone. Add all spice powders mentioned above. Mix well. Now add tomatoes and salt and cook till the tomatoes turn mushy. Now add Dhaniya and Pudina leaves.
4. Now line a foil in baking tray. Pour some masala on the bottom. Fill the inside of the fish with some masala and pour some masala over the fish. Now bake it in the oven for 30 minutes.
5. It’s ready to be served.

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

 The name Biryani is synonymous with Hyderabad. A trademark of  Hyderabadi household. A lip smacking meal. Most popular and widely relished dish. The aroma of the spices and herbs just fills the house. My kids just love it. I usually don't need an occasion to prepare Biryani. Though the whole process looks a bit tiring, it's amazingly simple. Marinade the chicken, cook the rice and chicken and then layer them. There your Yummy Chicken Biryani is ready :-)  

It is usually accompanied with Dahi ki Chutney Raita or Mirch ka Salan.

INGREDIENTS: 

1 Kg whole chicken
 1 kg Basmati rice 
1 cup thinly sliced fried onions
2 tsp ginger/garlic paste,2 tsp chilli powder ( As per your taste
)½ tsp turmeric
100 g fried cashew nuts
3-4 Biryani Flower4 or 5 cloves
2 cm long cinnamon sticks
3 or 4 cardamom pods
1 tsp shah jeera
1 cup mint leaves
1 cup coriander leaves (cilantro)
½ tsp garam masala powder(shah jeera, elachi, dal chini, lavang)
1 lemon
1 ½ tsp salt (As per taste)
1 cup ghee ½ cup yogurt
1 cup oil
few strands of saffron ( Soak in milk)
2 cups finely sliced onions

METHOD:

1. Clean the chicken and squeeze out the water1. Make deep incisions on the chicken flesh - deep enough for spices to get absorbed Mix turmeric, ( Haldi ) chilli powder, ( Mirchi powder ) salt,  ( Namak) ginger garlic paste, ( Adrak lasun paste) yogurt,  ( Dahi)  and half-lemon's juice. Thoroughly apply this paste onto the meat flesh and let marinate for an hour.

2. Heat about 100 ml of oil. Roast cumin, ( Zeera) cloves, ( Laung )cinnamon, ( Dalchini)  cardamom, ( Elaichi) bay leaves ( Tej Patta), ½ spoon cumin, 1 spoon coriander powder, ( dhania powder) and finally add onions.When onions turn golden pink/brown add mint leaves. Then add marinated chicken and cook for about 20-25 min. The chicken at this stage will not be fully cooked. Add garam masala and coconut powder and switch off the stove. 

3. Simultaneously, while the chicken is still cooking, prepare the Biryani Rice.  In a pot heat water and add ( 4 Cardamoms, 3 Cloves, 2 Bay Leaves, 1  Biryani Flower,1 tsp Sahajeera½ tsp Ginger Garlic Paste,1 tbsp of Oil. 1/4th cup of salt ) Add the rice and cook till one boil......say about 5 minutes. The rice should not be fully cooked Then drain the rice and keep the aside.

4. Now take a dish, layer half of chicken on it again topped by a layer of rice. One more layer of remaining chicken, finally with layer of rest of the rice on top. Sprinkle saffron milk and garnish the top layer with fried onion and fried cashew nuts and add a liberal amount of ghee. Now seal the container airtight.....so that steam does not escape, while cooking on a high flame for about 8 minutes, then on a low flame for about 15 minutes. 

Presto.... Your Biryani is ready   :-) 

Mutton Marag

Mutton Marag is a spicy mutton soup made with tender mutton with bones actually a famous Arab Dish, which is now a famous and favourite Hyderabadi dish adapted to Indian taste, with additional flavors

It has gained popularity and has become a part of Hyderabadi wedding menu A rich mutton stew, goes well with Naan or Roti

 INGREDIENTS
Lamb Meat with bone or lamb trotters ( Paya) 1/2 kg
Ginger-Garlic paste 3tbsp
Turmeric powder 1/4th Tsp
Onion 1
Green chilli paste 1 tsp
Curd ½ cup
Milk 200ml
Cream 2-3 tbsp
Coriander powder, Cumin Powder,Garam masala 1 Tsp each and black pepper 2 Tsp

Dhaniya/Coriander leaves 1 bunch
Pudina/Mint leaves 1/2 bunch
Salt to taste
Desiccated coconut – 2tbsp
Handful of roasted Kaju and 1tbsp of roasted Chironji
Ghee: 3tbsp

1/4tsp shahzeera
2 cinnamon sticks
1 bay leave
4-5 green cardamoms
5 cloves
10-15 peppercorns

METHOD :
Dry roast cashew, coconut & chironji, and grind them to a paste with some fresh Dhaniya leaves and keep aside.
In a pan heat ghee, add the whole garam masala till they release a wonderful aroma, Make sure not to burn them. Now add onions and cook for about 10 minutes, when the onions turn pink and translucent add the ginger garli and green chilli paste and sauté for about 2 minutes. At this point of time add mutton, salt, curd, pudina and pressure cook on a medium flame for about 5 whistles ot till the mutton is tender. Now add dhaniya powder, zeera powder, and cook till you obtain a thick gravy. Now cook on a high flame, stirring continuously, ensure that the gravy does not stick to the bottom. Now add milk and cook on a medium flame for 10 minutes. Now pour cashew/ coconut pa, coriander paste and cook for another 10 minutes. When the oil separates, dilute it with hot water as per your required consistency. Add garam masala, pepper powder and some cream and cook on low flame till the oil surfaces.

Mutton marag is ready smile emoticon

Khara Pongal

Pongal is a rice lentil dish, prepared mostly in South Indian homes. It is made mostly during the harvest festival of PONGAL.
One of the most simplest breakfast recipe. It is full of nutrition and is easily digestible.

Today I am posting the recipe of Khara Pongal

INGREDIENTS:

Rice - 2 cups

Split yellow moong dal - 1 cup

Ghee – 5-6 tsp

Turmeric- 1/4^th tsp

Cumin seeds/ Zeera - 1/2 tsp

Black pepper - 1 tsp

Ginger - 1 inch (cut into small pieces)

Asafetida/ Hing - 1/4 tsp

Cashews - a 10-12

Curry leaves – One sprig

Green chillies- 2-3

Salt - as per taste

Water – 8 cups

METHOD:

Wash rice and Dal then, place raw rice and dal in a cooker and add 8 cups of water. Add Zeera, hing and turmeric to the dal and rice and cook for 4 whistles.

In another pan, add the ghee and when it is hot add the cumin seeds, black pepper, curry leaves, ginger, asafoetida, green chillies and cashews and fry till cashews become golden brown colour. Now add this to the cooked Dal rice and mix well,. Add some more ghee if required. Pongal is ready you can have it with Hot Hot Sambar or with coconut or any other chutney.

Paneer Stuffed Pooris

Paneer is fresh Cottage Cheese, most often used in South Asia. An all time favourite and a great source of Calcium, Phosphorous, Vitamins, minerals and proteins. Builds stronger teeth, helps burn fat. It protects against heart disease by lowering the fat deposition in the arteries and prevents cancer.
There are many more health benefits of Paneer, but I have listed only few out here. On the whole Paneer is a purely vegetarian healthy and tasty product.
You have many delicious paneer recipes.
Today I shall post stuffed Paneer Poori

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE DOUGH

1cup finely chopped Methi leaves (I used Kasoori methi)
½ cup coriander leaves finely chopped
2 cups wheat flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp fresh curd 
2 tbsp melted ghee
salt to taste

FOR STUFFING

200gms grated paneer
2 tsp finely chopped green chillies (I deseeded the chilies before chopping them)
1 ½ cup tightly packed coriander/methi finely chopped 
salt to taste I also used a bit of chilli powder and amchur.....

Method 

Add all the ingredients mentioned under the dough. Knead it stiff, divide into equal portions, cover and keep aside.

Roll out one portion of the dough into a thin round, pu one portion of the stuffing in the centre and bring the edges together to cover the stuffing completely. Roll out again into a circle.Repeat with the remaining portions and stuffing to make more stuffed puris.

Heat the oil in a Pan and deep fry the poori, till they turn golden brown in colour from both the sides. 

Your poori stuffed with paneer is ready 

Methi Muthia

Methi or fenugreek is an important part of our Indian households. They are rich in vitamins and a storehouse of many minerals. It enhances breast milk production, controls diabetes, protects from cancer,helps in digestion,reduces cholesterol and also helps in weight loss.

I had chickpea flour/ Besan in my kitchen and had some fresh methi grown in my kitchen garden. So I planned to make a quick Healthy Gujarati snack. Methi Muthia. A steam cooked dumpling with methi leaves.

Methi Muthia- A healthy Gujarati snack

Preparation Time : 15 minutes
Cooking Time : 30 minutes
Serves : 5 people

Ingredients :
2 Cups packed Methi/ Fenugreek leaves
2 cups : Besan/Chickpea flour
1tbsp: yogurt
2tbsp: semolina
1tsp: sugar
1/2 tsp: chilli powder
Salt as per taste
1tsp: Haldi
1tsp: Coriander/ Dhania powder
2 tbsp: Oil
2tbsp: paste of green chilli ginger and garlic
1/2 tsp: Baking powder
1tsp: Pepper powder
2tsp: white Til/Sesame seeds
1tsp: Jeera/Cumin seeds..

Mix all the above ingredients, make a soft dough and set aside for about 15-20 
minutes. 

Now make make sausage shaped long rolls and place them in a greased container.

Steam them in a cooker for 15 minutes or till done

Slice the roll one's it's cool

Temper the ingredients as mentioned below
For Tempering 
2tbsp : Oil
1 tsp white sesame seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
 pinch of asafoetida
Few curry leaves

Add the sliced muthias and fry them for 2-3 minutes and now garnish them with chopped coriander.

Alternatively the sliced Muthias can be deep fried as well. Happy Eating :-) 

Spicy Fish curry Kerala Style

 KERALA STYLE RED FISH CURRY 

• ½ kg Fish ( Any fleshy fish)
• 3 tbsp Oil ( Kerala style is with coconut oil)
• 1 Medium sized onion chopped finely
• 2 green chillies
• 2tbsp ginger garlic paste
• Kokkam- 3 or 4 shredded
• Kashmiri Chilly Powder 3tsp ( Adjust according to your spice level)
• Turmeric Powder: 1/4 tsp
• Coriander powder ¼ tsp
• Mustard seeds ½ tsp
• Fenugreek powder/ Methi : 1/4 tsp
• Pepper powder: 1/2 tsp
• Water: ( As required)
• Curry leaves: 2 sprigs
• Lime juice- 1 lime
• Salt: As per taste

METHOD:
Wash the fish thoroughly. Clean the fish with salt, to remove the raw fish smell.
Marinate the clean fish pieces in chili powder turmeric powder salt and lime juice for ½ hour
Soak the kokkam in little water and set aside.
Make a paste of kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric powder, fenugreek powder and coriander powder. Add little water and set aside.

In an earthen pot heat coconut oil (You can use a pan as well. But for that authentic taste usage of earthen pot and coconut oil)

Add ¼ tsp of fenugreek seeds and ½ tsp of mustard seeds. One’s they splutter add chopped onions, after the raw smell of the onions fades, add green chillies and curry leaves, then add ginger garlic paste and sauté for a minute on medium flame, Now add the paste made of chilli, turmeric, fenugreek and coriander powder. Saute it for a while, ensure you don’t burn it. One’s the oil surfaces; add two cups of hot water, salt and kokam along with its water, co. Bring it to a boil. Now add the marinade fish, ensure that the fish pieces are well covered in the gravy. Now swirl the pot, and mix the contents. Remember to swirl the pot every 7-8 minutes. It takes about 20 minutes for the fish to cook. Taste the gravy, if it is very sour remove one or two kokkam from the gravy and if it’s not sour enough add kokkam. Put off the flame. Add a bit of coconut oil and garnish with curry leaves.
Adjust the consistency of the gravy as per your choice.

Note : Make sure you don’t use a ladle to move the fish while cooking as it tends to break.
The fish curry tastes better the next day, as the fish gets soaked in the spicy gravy.